If Neilands can’t win this, well, he might start thinking about his retirement.
Still 28.5 km left as 8 pro’s leave the others behind. Biggest name missing is domestique Becis.
20 km to go and one cobbled sector still on the menu as only the two Tryg riders and three Evonik riders are able to survive!
Evonik taking this one it seems! Only Budenieks and Neilands survive the final cobbled sector together, as it’s Tryg’s Skujins trying to close them down! 5 km to go!
Good guy Neilands! Budenieks does all the work and gets awarded the win by his leader. I guess Neilands doesn’t need to retire after this gesture of good will. Skujins finishing third for bronze.
Result:
1
Kristaps Budenieks
Evonik - ELKO
1h06'29
2
Krists Neilands
Evonik - ELKO
s.t.
3
Toms Skujins
Tryg - Ritter Sport
s.t.
4
Andris Smirnovs
Tryg - Ritter Sport
+ 1'36
5
Martins Pluto
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 2'09
6
Armands Becis
Evonik - ELKO
+ 2'56
7
Arturs Belevics
Grieg-Maersk
s.t.
8
Martins Blums
Evonik - ELKO
+ 3'41
9
Ingus Eislers
Evonik - ELKO
+ 4'42
10
Kaspars Sergis
Evonik - ELKO
+ 6'56
23
Andris Vosekalns
Evonik - ELKO
+ 8'47
Time Trial
I think Belevics is going to win this one.
Everyone is still on the road as current Latvian time trial champion Belevics destroys all the other times at the first checkpoint. Easy victory for him again in the time trial, beating number two Blums by 1’37” and number three Becis by 2’18”.
